Saturday, 17 February 2018

The Crafty Biathlon tests your ability to
adapt to obstacles and excel in multiple challenges simultaneously.
Below you’ll find two columns – one representing a technique and the
other, a type of card. Your challenge is to select one option from each
column and combine into one fabulous card!

I chose inlaid die cutting as my technique and a gift card holder as my card type. Here it is:

My gift card is a pocket holding a tag with slots to hold the card. I used the partial die cutting technique and a circular die to achieve the slots. The Merry Christmas die was cut twice, once from white card and once from the patterned paper. I then inlaid the white one into the the patterned paper one.

Friday, 16 February 2018

The
Freestyle Event will allow you to take your creativity wherever it
leads you. Create one card in any style with one exception - it has to
have a winter theme!

I was really captivated by Stephanie's card and did a bit of a CASE of it. Here's how it turned out:

So to keep with the Winter theme I used a stamp from a Christmas set and changed up the colours to chilly blues with a flurry of snow falling down. I stamped the dog first, then masked him and a strip so that I could blend an inky strip. Once the masks were removed I dotted a white gel pen to make the snow.

Thursday, 15 February 2018

I found some paper with a music pattern on it and was determined to put it to good use on my card but wasn't sure how. In the end I die cut a stitched heart from it and then added the treble clef raised on pads on top.

And I totally adore the sentiment quote and the fabulous mix of fonts.

Sunday, 11 February 2018

Hey! I'm so pleased you've dropped by today as there's a huge celebration going on at Uniko. It's their 6th birthday!!

And of course there are ways to win prizes!

All of the Uniko DT and a few Special Guests have made cards
and to be in with a chance to win a prize you need to hop round their blogs and find a stamp
set that was released in each of the six years of Uniko - that's 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017. When you've found them email your answers to bev@uniko.co.uk by 9am GMT Sunday 18th February 2018. You will then be entered into a prize draw.

Bev will randomly select THREE winners from all the correct entries that
name 6 clear stamp sets, one from each year (2012-2017), to receive an in
stock clear stamp set of their choosing.

She will also randomly select ONE lucky winner who names and emails all 12 clear stamp sets from each of the 6 years to receive a £60 eGift
Certificate to spend in the Uniko store! WOW!

Here's my card using the fabulous Decorative Doilies: The Hands of Time stamp set released way back near the beginning of Uniko in April 2012. And it's still as on trend and popular 6 years later in 2018!

I prepared a distress ink background using colours as near to the Uniko ones as I could find and then stamped and heat embossed the doilies in the same mermaid lagoon distress ink. Then I used some bleach and a fine brush to remove some of the colour. I love the effect this technique gives and can even live with the way it dripped in places I hadn't intended it to. But I have to admit it did make my lips tingle - must have been the fumes.

About Me

Hello and welcome to my blog.
I'm a craft loving retired primary school teacher and a bit hooked on all things purple. My current passions are taking photos, scrapbooking and cardmaking interspersed with crochet and knitting, although over the years I've given most crafts a try.